Clerk 3 (Kentville Office)

About Us

At the Department of Agriculture, our vision is to create a Nova Scotia agriculture and agri-food industry that is diversified, market-focused and profitable. We work to support the development of competitive, sustainable and profitable agriculture and agri-business industries that contribute to the economic, environmental and social prosperity of Nova Scotia.

Regional Services is a division within the Industry Development Branch of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, with offices located across the province. The division provides services and support to farmers, agribusinesses, industry stakeholders, and educational institutions, and collaborates with government partners and external organizations to strengthen initiatives and drive growth.

About Our Opportunity

The Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture is looking for a motivated and dynamic person to add to its extension team. As a Clerk 3 you will work as part of a larger regional team led by a Senior Agricultural Representative and Regional Extension Manager, to assist the team with their mandate to provide front-line agriculture extension to all clients served by the regional office and across the province. Your work will contribute to the growth and sustainability of Nova Scotia's agricultural sector, making a tangible difference in the lives of farmers and rural communities.

Primary Accountabilities

You will serve as a frontline contact for clients and the general public at the Kentville Regional Office, where you will receive and manage incoming phone calls, interpret requests for information, and redirect callers to the appropriate person, division, or external organization. This role requires close collaboration with Agriculture Representative staff and maintaining a network of contacts to ensure accurate and efficient call routing.

Your duties will include receiving, classifying, and summarizing a variety of documents such as mail, emails, and analytical lab samples, which you will package and send to the Truro lab using next-day courier service. You will be responsible for managing regional office billing and payments for lab services, handling transactions via cheque or point of sale (POS) machines, preparing invoices for approval, and coordinating with multiple teams within the Regional Services Division as required. You will also contact clients to maintain up-to-date records and connect them with departmental agriculture programs on behalf of regional staff.

Supporting the Regional Extension team is another key part of your role. You will assist by setting up Microsoft Form surveys, preparing advertisements, managing email mailouts using Envoke, maintaining registration lists for workshops and webinars, and supporting procurement requests for events and regular activities. Additionally, you will arrange meetings, take detailed notes or minutes, maintain client contact lists, and help disseminate timely information and communications to departmental staff.

You will provide general administrative support to all departmental staff across divisions, recognizing the unified team approach in the Kentville Office, and act as the front-facing contact for walk-ins. Maintaining a professional office atmosphere is essential, as you support Corporate Services activities such as managing the disposition of equipment and furniture and overseeing inventory records for Regional Extension and Sector Development staff. You will oversee the upkeep of common areas like the boardroom, storage, and mail/print areas, ensuring these remain organized, clean, and functional with the assistance of custodial staff.

Furthermore, you will maintain an organized inventory of resource materials and a current filing system using the STAR/STOR system to comply with audit and organizational requirements. You will prepare routine and non-routine correspondence, memos, reports, and statistical or financial data reports on behalf of regional staff and management. Troubleshooting non-routine queries, investigating variances, and resolving discrepancies are also key responsibilities.

Finally, you will work collaboratively as part of an administrative team of 3–4 Clerks, providing occasional technical guidance to junior staff, and supporting occupational health and safety initiatives as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

You have at least a high school education with 3 years of related experience. An equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered.

In addition to the above, you must:

• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Have proficient typing skills and a sound working knowledge of computers
• Have a proficiency using the Microsoft Office suite of programs and Outlook
• Possess initiative and good judgement
• Have excellent organizational and administrative skills, and a thorough knowledge of secretarial procedures
• Be organized and able to prioritize a diverse workload
• Possess proofreading skills – writing and grammar

In addition to the above, the following would be considered assets to your success:

• Knowledge of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture
• Experience with SAP and STAR/STOR
• Familiarity with Envoke or other mass email communication platforms
• Experience with Microsoft Forms or other digital survey tools
• Strong working knowledge of government procurement or financial processes

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.

Working Conditions

This is a full-time, in-office position based at the Kentville Regional Office. Standard office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The role involves working in a shared office environment and requires regular in-person interaction with clients, the general public, and departmental staff. Occasional lifting or movement of office supplies or materials may be required. Some travel by vehicle may be required on occasion to support departmental activities.

Additional Information

This is a Permanent employment opportunity. The successful incumbent will have access to a government vehicle for the purpose of work-related duties.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• Countless career paths.
• Department Specific Flexible working schedules.